Letena Ethiopian Restaurant

The best restaurant in the DMV. Great food, great service and great atmosphere! 10/10.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is our favorite Ethiopian place in DC. After discovering Letena, we keep returning. We love the incredible food, attentive service, and beautiful atmosphere. The owner is super friendly and will take care of you very well. Never change Letena!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

First time trying authentic Ethiopian food & it was delicious! We shared the Goat Wot and Beef Stew. The staff was super friendly and helpful in describing not only what we were eating but also *how to eat it haha.

They take reservations but at the time we went there was plenty of seating. I would recommend this place to anyone coming into DC.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Best Ethiopian hands down. Not even close. Fantastic value and the bread is not too sour at all. Coffee off the chain as well!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

My sons and I treated my wife to a Mother’s Day dinner at Letena’s and it was incredible. Great service, intimate atmosphere, lovely music, and above all, delicious food. We went for the unmistakably best dish there, took the “Letena Journey”, listed under Meat Sampler as #3 and devoured every bite. Tasted like the best homemade Ethiopian cooking I’ve had in years. Our server, Meron, was the definition of excellence in hospitality and made us feel so very well attended to! Thank you for making our day special. We highly recommend Letena’s to anybody seeking authenticity in culinary fares and atmosphere!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Just had an incredible meal here! Service was really wonderful, the ladies working were all so sweet and engaging! Everything we ate was really delicious. We started with their samosa, texture was very crunchy on the outside with a mouth watering filling. I could have just eaten that the entire meal. Then we had the meat sampler #2 which was a fantastic variety of dishes. I thought I wasn’t very hungry when I arrived and was surprised we almost ate everything. Lastly, we got the tiramisu, it was not too sweet and had a great balance of flavors. 100% recommend checking this out!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Most authentic Ethiopian cuisine food here!! Loved the food, service was beyond amazing. The owner of the restaurant was very friendly and very polite with us all. Would definitely recommend going to this place for vegetarian food. 🥘

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Meat Sampler for Two, Veggie Platter, Yemisir Wot, Kik Wot, Mushroom TIBS, Vegetable Platter

OMG, the best places ever the food is so fresh the waitress they very nice. The place is so cozy and traditional. I love that place. Thank you so much.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

When you find an Ethiopian restaurant that cooks too exact spice level and doesn't hold back, this is your place. The only disappointment was that they do not have real tej, but a honey wine that is close. The service by everyone in the restaurant was superb and kind and attentive without being overbearing. 

Best Ethiopian tea I can remember having. Asa tibs was great, but on the oily side. Lamb lebeg tibs had some gristle and was uncomfortably greasy (see picture). Loved the tiramisu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Tiramissu

Just wow. My first time having Ethiopian. So impressed. Delicious, healthy, unique.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Meat Sampler for Two, Lega TIBS, Vegetable Sampler Beef TIBS

Very good vegetarian options. Served was nice and helpful.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Meat Sampler for Two, Veggie Platter

The food was fine. The pricing system is very confusing and misleading. For two people ended up with a bill of $78 because the samplers were priced per individual. So a $23 sampler was $46. Even though if you order for 1 person. It would’ve been more straightforward if they just said that it was $46.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 1

The atmosphere was perfect, an authentic restaurant all around. This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine, and it was a great place to do this because of their "sampler" options. You can try many different dishes all in one. The kategna appetizer is a must if you like spice. The samosas I'd say were a bit underwhelming. We got the veggie sampler for 2 and had enough leftover for one more full meal. Overall a great experience, I'm glad I chose Letena for an Ethiopian dinner in Washington DC.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Amazing food amazing service

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Vegan Ethiopian Dishes, Veggie Platter, Vegetable Platter, Lentil Samosa, Yemisir Wot, Lega TIBS, Letena Salad, Shiro Wot, Timatim Salad